Sometimes—okay that’s an understatement; most times—I find myself sitting on my bedroom floor, staring into the depths of my cramped closet with clothes strewn haphazardly around me. I’d pull out a shirt, give it a once-over, try it on and decide that no, I’m not feeling it, before I proceed to toss it on my bed. Or the the bedside table. Or The Chair—you know, that one chair in your bedroom where you dump all your clothes.
And then, repeat.
It’s probably an interesting sight. I swear my cats give me judgmental looks to hurry up, but they probably just want attention (or some cat chow). I’m sure that I’m not the only one who spends so much time doing this. It might not be the most endearing habit, but to me, it’s important to dress well.
For island girls like me, it can be challenging to find an outfit that works. Cebu’s ever-changing temperatures can be a limitation to dressing well; in the morning, the sweltering heat is enough to make you sweat buckets, but hours later it’s pouring cats and dogs. Some people would try on multiple outfits but opt to dress lightly in the end so as not to sacrifice comfort.
The city’s transport system can be another limitation, too. It’s hard to be in full #OOTD mode and get to one place from another unless you’re willing to brave the traffic that comes with driving, and even that takes a good chunk of the time you could have spent doing something else. There are those who would probably just throw on what they immediately see and get going quickly so they could catch a ride to their destination.
A lot of external factors come into play when deciding an outfit. However, I like to think that even with all these, you can still pull together a good look. Take your simple t-shirt and pair of jeans, for example.
Spice it up with colours
A plain t-shirt made out of a light fabric would look chic if you switch out your typical denim jeans for ankle-cut ones with a raw hem. This cut flatters many body types and heights. A colourful silk neck scarf adds instant spice to the simplicity. Topped off with slip-on sandals, you’re set for making your way comfortably around the city.
Cinch and stretch
Another way to wear this basic look is to wear a cropped top or, if you’re not comfortable with the length, you can opt to knot the hem of your shirt to give the illusion of a cinched waist. Balance it out with high-waisted slim-fit jeans along with platform sneakers to add height. Finish the look with fun and quirky accessories like statement earrings or a necklace.
Play with textures
Elevate the combo by wearing a textured shirt like those made out of silk, linen, corduroy or anything that isn’t cut from your usual cotton. For jeans, go for something unusual like a pair of straight-leg denims with grommet details on the sides. Complement the look with a pair of low-heeled sandals. If it rains, you can easily throw on a lightweight cardigan.
It’s never wrong to work with textures and fabrics, add some accessories you wouldn’t normally wear, or opt for a different cut than what you’re used to. Style is something that evolves, and you shouldn’t be afraid to go beyond your comfort zone.
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Love for Fashion and Shopping
Love for fashion is a bond shared by Ayala and its customers. Ayala has long been an icon of style in the Queen City of the South. The mall is home to big global brands and locally celebrated shops as well. With over 90 brands housed exclusively in Ayala Center Cebu, it brings in the perfect merchandise mix of cost-conscious and premium brands, to high-end fashion boutiques and specialty stores that meet the needs of every market.
Ayala Center Cebu, as the purveyor of fashion in Cebu, continues to bring the best of the world to the region as it becomes home to global retail giants such as the biggest store of Zara and H&M in the Philippines, hip fashion brands and their new concept stores like Pull&Bear and Bershka, and premium offerings from A/X, Dorothy Perkins, Marks and Spencer, Lacoste, Vero Moda, Aeropostale, Herschel, and Cotton On, to name a few. Ayala addresses the needs of its different markets with its two anchor department stores and supermarket chains, Rustan’s and Metro.
Love for Food
Love for food brings families and friends together. The Terraces, the refreshed Food Choices, and the Garden Area at the 4th level have a wide array of local and international food choices, making Ayala Center Cebu the preferred dining destination.
For that Italian fix, choose from Italianni’s, La Tegola, Sbarro, or Idea Italia. Satisfy one’s cravings for Asian cuisine from Harbour City, Rai Rai Ken, Lemon Grass, SumoSam, Majestic or Tsim Sha Tsui Dimsum & Tea Bar. If in the mood for American, there’s Bigby’s, TGI Friday’s or Army Navy, while if it’s Filipino dishes that everyone’s craving for, Café Laguna, Max’s, and Hukad serve great choices for local cuisine. Desserts from La Vie Parisienne, Dessert Factory, Chocolatier, Vanille or Fudge provide a sweet ending to a sumptuous meal.
Love for Art, Entertainment and Good Times
Love for quality time with family and friends is a top priority at Ayala Center Cebu. Well- thought-of and specially designed areas around the mall serve as bonding and entertainment spaces where everyone can take quick breaks from the daily grind.
The open-air Terraces provides a breath of fresh air in the thriving metropolis. It is the perfect place to relax and unwind while enjoying a meal or a cup of coffee. The Terraces also serves as a venue for various mall shows and concerts featuring local and foreign acts.
Being a passionate supporter of local artistry and creativity, Ayala Center Cebu provides a venue for budding and established artists alike to showcase their artwork. “Art at the Park” is an opportunity for mallgoers can be able to appreciate art up close. The thought-provoking stonecast installations and sculptures by Cebuano artist Juan Guido Lubanga are currently on display at the 4th level Garden Area and The Terraces.
Ayala’s interiors are furnished with pieces by outstanding Cebuano furniture designer Vito Selma. Some of Selma’s works are exhibited in the ground floor of the expansion area, while his wooden benches called “Nessie” provide a place where shoppers can rest and lounge in. Recently, Selma created and designed Ayala’s Christmas tree, which featured his signature geometric creations.
The mall is also known for its world-class architecture – a combination of the contemporary and homey ambience. The façade of the expansion area and interiors of the entire mall strongly reflect its upscale nature. The high ceilings and wide hallways flaunt spaciousness while the open spaces and lush landscaping surrounding the mall create a sense of freshness – the perfect place to hang out and rekindle relationships with family and friends.
Love for Customer Service and Inclusiveness
Ayala Center Cebu’s customers can be assured of superior customer service through its Ü -First Campaign, the mall’s continuing program which provides specifically-designated facilities and amenities for the elderly, families and persons with disabilities from comfort rooms to taxi lanes. The campaign ensures that each customer gets personalized and quality service. Concierge Services are located in areas with high pedestrian traffic to give shoppers a pleasurable and hassle-free mall experience.
It also offers a tourist desk, concierge, valet, customer lounges and family lounges that include a kid’s zone and breastfeeding rooms for public convenience. Ayala Center Cebu’s two-level PUV terminal is an accessible commuters’ facility with an organized loading and unloading system with routes to different parts of Metro Cebu and its neighboring towns. A chapel is conveniently located at the 4th level of the expansion area for shoppers who want to reflect on the Word and hear mass every Saturday and Sunday.
Last year, Ayala Center Cebu was recognized for its excellent service as well as its world-class architecture. Among these awards are the 2015 Apolinario Mabini Award as the PWD-Friendly Establishment (Bronze award), a Gold Award in the Renovations and Expansions Design and Development Category at the 2015 Asia Pacific Shopping Center Awards competition of The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) for its expansion area, and Trip Advisor’s Certificate of Excellence.
There’s love waiting to be discovered in every corner of Ayala Center Cebu.
Cebu Business Park
6332. 266 2535
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Zee Lifestyle‘s December-January 2016 Style Issue: Jennifer Helen Weigel-Sarmiento (Photography: Mark Philip Dales/Sittings Editor: Melo Esguerra/Production Manager: Shari Quimbo/Makeup: Ramil Solis/Hair: Ariel Tatoy/Locale: UVNS)
Gracing the cover is Jennifer Helen Weigel-Sarmiento. Known as Penny to her family and close friends, this businesswoman, philantrophist, mother, and Mrs. Asia International Metropolitan titleholder proves that when it comes to style, age is but a number.
Jennifer joins a bevy of Cebu’s most stylish personalities. Abigail “Bombom” Ngo, Carla Larrazabal-del Prado, Michelle Mulet-Yu, Raquel Choa, Alyssa Lao, Ayana Jimenez, Vanessa East, Timmy Gomez, Michael Karlo Lim, Jacob Pimentel, Stuart Violanda and Allan Ong Jr. showcase their individuality in looks that are entirely their own.
THE HIT LIST: Cebu’s Most Stylish Personalities (Photography: Dan Douglas Ong/Hair and Makeup: Kimberly Lam, Hollie Damaolao, Janice Barillo and Nicko dela Peña)
Beyond its people, Cebu as a city is also known for being stylish. The visual flair of the city’s newest destinations Unos Design, The Chocolate Chamber Boutique, Pigafetta and HoliCOW proves that Cebu is home to the creative entrepreneur—well deserving of being part of the Southeast Asian Creative Cities Network.
With the opening of new malls in Cebu, new lifestyle brands such as H&M, Pull&Bear and Sfera have made their way to our shores, bringing their latest collections for the locales to go crazy over. This issue also provides a backstage pass to the Fashion Weeks in Milan, London, Paris and New York. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry, Hugo Boss, Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch and Kate Spade are just some of the well-known names that unveiled their Spring/Summer 2016 collections
Read more in Zee Lifestyle’s Style Issue, out on stands this month. Grab your copies at National Bookstore and Fully Booked. For subscriptions, click here, or download the Magzter app on your device and search for ‘Zee Lifestyle’.
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“There has been great excitement and buzz around H&M in this part of the country, and we are happy to finally announce the opening of our first store in the city on November 27th! The wait will surely be worth it as we not only bring three floors of fashion heaven to Ayala Center Cebu, but our biggest store in the Philippines to date. To our Cebuano shoppers, we will offer the same quality at the best price in a sustainable way,” said Fredrik Famm, Country Manager for South East Asia.
H&M Ayala Center is a full concept store, carrying ladieswear, menswear, kids and HOME. It will open featuring the brand’s stylish holiday campaign and will showcase an exciting selection of gifts and fashion for the season. H&M will also continue to feature its Garment Collecting initiative in this store, where customers can donate their used clothes and get a discount voucher to use for their next purchase at H&M.
Those shopping on opening day can expect great offers! Gift cards will be handed out to the first 300 in line – P5,000 Gift Card for the first, P2,500 Gift Cards each for the second and third, and varying amounts ranging from P300 to P2,000 each for the rest. The next 300 will walk away with special H&M umbrellas and tote bags. A special treat also awaits stylish shoppers – 5 of the most fashionable people spotted in the queue before opening will be chosen and given P2,000 Gift Cards each. All other fashion lovers can enjoy holiday deals of up to 50% off on select items.
The store will open on November 27th from 11AM-10PM, and regular operating hours from 10am-9pm on weekdays and 10am-10pm on weekends will resume thereafter.
‘We are very excited to be in Cebu! With the growing interest and appreciation of Cebuanos toward H&M and the current growth upturn of retail in one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines, we believe this year is the best time to be here,’ enthused Fredrik Famm, Country Manager for South East Asia.
In anticipation of opening its doors to fashionistas in the ‘Queen City of The South’ late this year, H&M will embark on a recruitment program beginning this June 2015, needing to fill in close to 100 positions over a number of weeks. Key positions include roles in store management, visual merchandising and sales. Receiving accolades in employee management such as the prestigious Employer of the Year award from GREAT PLACE TO WORK® in several countries, H&M prides itself in providing employees an ideal work environment and long-term career growth. Employees have witnessed growth opportunities both within and outside of their initial responsibilities, including the possibility of working for its sister brands and nearby territories worldwide.
Locals who are interested in pursuing a long-running career progression in an ever-growing corporation may visit hm.com/jobs, where they can see a full list of open positions and their corresponding descriptions, as well as submit their resumes online. The brand will also conduct a series of on-the-site recruitment programs in Cebu, updates for which will be posted on the same website. ]]>
PRAYING FOR YOUR LOVE
Vladimir wears sweater by MONSIEUR LACENAIRE Ring and bracelet by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS
PURITY IN WHITE
Xenia wears an eyelet dress by NAF NAF Peep-toe shoes by ETAM
INTO THE WOODS
Xenia wears a white dress by ZARA. Shoes by ETAM. Vladimir wears a suit by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS Shirt by GAP Cap by ZARA Glasses by LAFONT Watch by FREDERIQUE CONSTANT Ring by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS
CHANNELING JEAN DE FLORETTE
Vladimir wears a suit by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS Shirt by MONSIEUR LACENAIRE Necktie by M-A. BARROIS for RMN-GP (LOUVRE) Shoes by JOSEPH FENESTRIER Glasses by LAFONT Bag by ALEXANDRE MAREUIL
WILD AT HEART
Vladimir wears a sweater by GUSTAVO LINS Shirt by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS Cufflinks by JEAN BOGGIO Pants by GUSTAVO LINS
IN AWE
Vladimir wears a leather jacket by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS Sweater by GUSTAVO LINS Shirt by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS Pants by GUSTAVO LINS Rings by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS
THE MUSE
Xenia wears a top by ZARA Ring by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS
THE ARTIST
Vladimir wears a polo by LACOSTE Leather jacket by JITROIS Pants by H&M Shoes by PHILIPPE ZORZETTO Glasses by LAFONT Cushions by JEAN BOGGIO
FOR ART’S SAKE
Vladimir wears a sweater by GUSTAVO LINS Pants by ZARA Watch by BARRACCO Bracelets and rings by MARC-ANTOINE BARROIS
- photography Olivier Yoan
- styling Marc-Antoine Barrois
- models Vladimir Perrin and Xenia Ryzhkovets
- special thanks to Michel Curé and Gilles Klein
- location Burgundy, France